Warrant Application Denied — Attorney Zakiya Watson-Caffe Stops Charges Before They Start

Fulton County, GA – August 9, 2023 – In a significant pretrial defense win, Attorney Zakiya Watson-Caffe, Esq., of Watson Law LLC, successfully defended her client against a private warrant application in a Probable Cause Hearing held in Fulton County Magistrate Court. The court ultimately denied the application for arrest, closing the case before charges could be filed.

In this article…

Case Overview

This matter began with a private citizen filing a warrant application against Attorney Watson-Caffe’s client on April 25, 2023. The accusation triggered a criminal application hearing process under Georgia law, which allows magistrate judges to determine whether probable cause exists to issue an arrest warrant.

Court Hearings

Two hearings were held before the Honorable Judge Debbie-Ann Rickman in Fulton Magistrate Court:

  • July 10, 2023: Hearing reset upon defense motion
  • August 9, 2023: Full hearing held — application denied

Attorney Watson-Caffe executed a focused defense by:

  • Filing a Notice of Appearance and representing the client from the outset
  • Securing a continuance to properly prepare pre-hearing motions
  • Challenging the sufficiency of the warrant application
  • Presenting compelling arguments to undermine probable cause

Her efforts resulted in a judicial determination that there was no probable cause to issue a warrant against her client.

Why This Matters

Someone tried to file criminal charges against her client by asking the court to issue an arrest warrant. This is called a warrant application — it’s a way for a person (not the police) to go to court and try to get someone arrested.

Attorney Zakiya Watson-Caffe stepped in early and defended her client during the Probable Cause Hearing, where the judge decides if there’s enough reason (or “probable cause”) to approve that arrest.

Defense Counsel:

  • Showed up prepared

  • Filed the right motions

  • Asked the court for time to gather evidence

  • Argued that the case had no merit

The judge agreed and said:

❌ There’s not enough evidence for an arrest
❌ The case doesn’t go forward

As a result:

  • Her client was never arrested

  • No charges were filed

  • The case was closed and dismissed

Most people only think about lawyers after they’ve been arrested. But what Zakiya did was even more powerful — she prevented charges before they could be filed. That means her client never got a record, never had to post bail, and walked away completely free.

This is what real criminal defense looks like when it’s done early, smart, and strong.

Final Outcome

On August 9, 2023, the application was officially denied by the court. The magistrate case was closed with no arrest, no charges, and no further legal action.

This ruling clears her client of all legal exposure related to this application and reaffirms the importance of having skilled legal representation at the earliest stages of criminal proceedings.

Attorney Statement

“Probable cause hearings matter. They’re often the line between someone walking free or walking into custody. I’m proud we stopped this case in its tracks before charges could ever be filed.”

– Zakiya Watson-Caffe, Esq.

About Watson Law LLC

Watson Law LLC is a Georgia-based law firm providing expert legal counsel in criminal defense and small business matters. Led by Attorney Zakiya Watson-Caffe, Esq., the firm is known for its early-stage legal intervention, trial preparation, and fierce courtroom advocacy.

Contact Information

Watson Law LLC

📍 800 Kennesaw Avenue, Suite 220, Marietta, GA 30060

📞 (404) 600-1771

📧 zak@zwatsonlaw.com

🌐 CriminalAttorneyinGeorgia.com

For media inquiries or client consultations, contact Watson Law LLC today.